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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Mar 1997

Vol. 475 No. 8

Written Answers. - Prisoner Statistics.

John O'Donoghue

Ceist:

194 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the number of prisoners transferred from Mountjoy to other prisons since 1 January 1997; the number subsequently granted temporary release; and the number of prisoners who are obliged to sign on at the prisons to which they have been transferred, having been given an early release. [6315/97]

The total number of transfers of prisoners from Mountjoy Prison to the other prisons and places of detention in the State between 1 January 1997 and 28 February 1997 inclusive was 386. Records are not currently maintained in a manner as to readily identify the number of prisoners included in the above number who were subsequently granted temporary release. It should be noted that Mountjoy is a committal prison and therefore many prisoners arrive there and are then distributed around to other places of detention.

All offenders who are granted temporary release are obliged — as a condition of the release — to return to their prison or place of detention on the expiry of the period of release. In each case the offender will either be returned to custody or she/he may be granted a further period of temporary release. This involves signing a form of undertaking under the Criminal Justice Act, 1960. In cases where an offender is close to the end of his or her sentence full temporary release may be granted. In these cases offenders are not required to return to the prison but all other conditions, including the requirement to be of good behaviour, continue to apply.
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